Quick-release wrench.



S. LAUFF. QUlCK RELEASE WRENCH. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4, m4.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOIGLITHO" WASHINGTDN, D. C.

SAMUEL LAUFF, 0F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

QUICK-RELEASE WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2t), 1915.

Application filed February 4, 1914. Serial No. 816,528.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL LAUFF, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, and a resident of Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Quick-Release Wrenches, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices of that class available for manipulating nuts, suitably-headed bolts, and the like, and each thereof embodying a pair of jaws, one of which is adjustable, slowly through the medium of coacting threads or quickly through the annulment of the coacting relation of said threads, toward and away from the other, such devices being 7 well-designated quick-release wrenches.

The object of this invention is to provide a wrench of the character above indicated, which shall be simple and comparatively inexpensive as regards its construction; durable, efficient and reliable in practical service; markedly convenient in its application to practical purposes, and which shall possess certain well-defined advantages over prior analogous devices.

The invention consists in the combinations, details and parts whereby, together with the novel disposition and relative arrangement of said parts, the attainment of the foregoing object is rendered practicable, all of which will be hereinafter more specifically referred to and set forth in the appended claim.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a quickrelease wrench embodying my said improvements. Fig. 2'is a plan view, showing the same as it appears when turned obversely on its longitudinal axis ninety degrees from the position it is shown as occupying in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, the shank, including the fixed jaw coijoined therewith, being shown in side elevation, and the adjustable jaw, including certain parts supported thereby, being mainly shown in central, vertical, longitudinal section, as along the broken line m fia", of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view, partly in end,

elevation and partly in cross section, as along the broken line yy of Fig. 1, of the movable-j aw extension. Fig. 5 is a view showing in perspective and detached, the nut-controlling arbor made use of. Fig. 6 is a View partly in end elevation and partly in cross-section, as along the broken line ec of Fig 2, of the arbor-controlling keeper made use of. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of said keeper, detached.

Having reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference-numerals denote like parts throughout the respective views, I make use in carrying out my invention, of a stock or shank 2, fitted at one end thereof with a handle 2, at its opposite end with a fixed jaw 2", and provided along its lower edge with segmental threads 3; also a aw extension 3, fitted with a jaw 3", strapped to the shank 2, for movement to and fro therealong and as through the me dium of upstanding yoke 4, 4', whereby the jaw 3 becomes adjustable relatively toward and away from the jaw 2", and cut away from its under side upwardly, as at 4", for the accommodation of a circumferentially threaded nut 5, the threads of the latter normally engaging the segmental threads 3, and whereby the adjustability of the jaw 3 relatively to the jaw 2 may be effected and controlled, all as in common practice.

In practice it frequently becomes desirable that the extension 3, with the jaw 3" carried thereby, may be oppositely adjusted between more or less distantly separated points along the shank 2, and independently of the threads, respectively, aforenamed; and as a condition precedent to this end is the disengagement of the circumferential threads afi'orded by the adjusting-nut 5 from the segmental threads 3, or vice versa, I loosely mount said adjusting-nut on a rotatable arbor 5, which bears at its inner end in a socket 5 formed in the extension 3, at the inner side of the nut 5, and in a bushing 5", at the opposite side of said nut, said bushing being pinned or otherwise fastened within an opening 6, formed in the extension '3 at the rear end-portion thereof, and in axial alinement with the socket 5".

Arbor 5 has a medial portion 6", eIllarged diametrically and offset eccentrically to the axis thereof, said medial portion being loosely occupied by the adjusting-nut 5. Hence, it will be observed that upon the arbor 5 being caused to undergo, say, a half-revolution in one direction, as to the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 3, the adjusting-nut 5 will be caused to move bodily away from the shank 2 a distance suflicient to disengage the threads afiorded by said adjusting-nut from the segmental threads 3, thereby liberating the extension 3, with its jaw 3", for free movement to and fro alongthe shank aforenamed; while upon said arbor being caused to undergo, in either direction, say, an additional halfrevolution, as to the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1, the adjusting-nut aforenamed will be caused to move bodily in the direction of the shank 2 a distance sufficient to disengage the threads afforded circumferential threads afforded by said adjusting-nut with the segmental threads aforenamed, under which condition of the parts, the extension 3, with the jaw carried thereby, may only be moved to and fro along the shank 2 by duly turning the adjusting-nut 5, as will be readily understood.

It is desirable that means be provided whereby may be facilitated the manipulation of the arbor 5, for causing the adjusting-nut 5 to move toward and recede from the shank 2, as stated, and for adequately locking said arbor against casual rotation when so oppositely adjusted; and in this connection I provide a keeper 6", which is mounted on the arbor aforenamed, at the outwardly extended portion thereof, and in a manner to be movable both rotarily therewith and longitudinally therealong. As here shown, the keeper 6, which may be cylindrical or otherwise in cross-section, is provided with a longitudinal bore 7, to facilitate its mounting on the arbor 5, substantially as indicated in the drawing, said arbor being provided with a suitable, longitudinal, slot-like recess 7, into which freely projects the inner end of a key or pin 7" inserted, by way of a suitable opening provided therefor, radially through the body of said keeper, all as clearly shown in Fig. 6, and whereby said keeper is attached to said arbor in a manner to be movable therewith and longitudinally therealong.

'The arbor 5' is provided at its outer end with a terminal disk 8, between which and a shoulder 8 there isinterposed a spiral spring 8, which spring tends at all times to elastically urge the keeper aforenamed in the direction of, and against, the rear end of the extension 3; and the bore 7, from a suitable point interiorly thereof, to its rear terminus, being enlarged diametrically,both for the formation of the shoulder 8 and the accommodation of the spring 8".

The disk 8, which approximately coincides diametrically with the diameter of the enlarged portion of the bore 7 is disposed on the arbor 5, at its rearwardly projecting portion, so as to be surrounded peripherally and housed at all times by the keeper 6", said disk serving, incidentally and accordingly, as an auxiliary bearing for said keeper, whereby the latter is caused to act more steadily with, and in its movements longitudinally along, the arbor aforen'amed.

The keeper 6 isprovided'at its front end with a tongue or detent 9, preferably oppositely tapered as shown, andiwhich normally, under the controlling action .of the spring 8 on said keeper, seats Within a suitable recess 9, formed in the extension 3, at its rear end, thereby substantially locking the arbor 5 against casual rotation."

As-will be noted, it is advisable'that an additional recess, 10, corresponding to 9 and formed oppositely, thereto in'the extension 3, at the rear end ofthe latter, be provided;'and when desired the keeper 6 may be provided, at its front end, and oppositely to the detent 9, with a like, additional detent 9". The opening 6 isenlarged diametrically not only to accommodate the bushing 5", but to permit the arbor 5, with its enlarged medial portion 6 to be inserted endwise therethrough, as in the operation of assembling the parts. i V

In practice, the user, grasping the keeper 7 6", whose circumferential surface is preferably milled or otherwise roughened, Withdraws the same alongthe arbor 5, against the tendency of the spring 8", and asto the position indicated in Fig. 3; whereupon, through the medium of said keeper, the arbor 5 may be suitably turned on its axis to cause the adjusting-nut 5 to recede from, or move in the direction of, the shank 2, and for the purposes hereinbefore explained.

It will be seen that my improved quickrelease wrench is well adapted for the purposes for which it is intended, and-further that the same may be modified to a considerable extent, particularly as regards the means made use of for controllingandmanipulating. the arbor 5, and also various minor details of the general construction, without departing from the spirit and principle of my invention, as expressed and coming within the scope of the claim hereto appended.

I claim: V

A wrench comprising a movable-jaw; an adjusting-nut arbor mounted for rotative movement only therein and projecting somewhat rearwardly therefrom; a hollow 1215 'keeper mounted on the rearwardlyprojectto be surrounded peripherally and housed at being adapted to lockingly engage the jawall times by, and to serve incidentally as an extension aforenamed, at a point in its rotaauxiliary bearing for, said keeper; and an tive movement relative thereto.

elastic element, said element being housed at SAMUEL LAUFF. all times by the keeper aforenamed, and Witnesses:

tending to elastically urge the same for- JAMES T. BRAYTON,

Wardly With respect to said disk, said keeper ETHEL M. HANCHETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

